Fake Flipper Zero sellers are after your money

Thanks to Malwarebytes' Stefan Dasic who provided the research and screenshots for this article. Flipper Zero, a "multi-tool device for hackers", is frequently out of stock due to its popularity in hardware circles. Flipper Zero combines research and penetration hardware tools into a single unit...

KMSpico explained: No, KMS is not "kill Microsoft"

Thanks to Pieter Arntz and the Threat Intelligence Team who contributed to the research. A hack tool is a program that allows users to activate software even without a legitimate, purchased key. Hack tools are often used to root devices in order to among others remove barriers that stop users fro...

PayPal phishing campaign goes after more than just your login credentials

A new phishing campaign targeting PayPal users aims to get extensive data from potential victims. The data its after includes government documents like passport, as well as selfie photos. In a nutshell, its an extensive form of information theft, the likes of which could result in someones identi...

Predatory Sparrow massively disrupts steel factories while keeping workers safe

Stuxnets attack on Irans uranium enrichment facilities manifested fears of cyberattacks leaking into the real world. What once was theory is now upon us. Two weeks ago, multiple Iranian steel facilities experienced a cyberattack that might have been pulled off by what many cybersecurity experts i...

BlackBasta is the latest ransomware to target ESXi virtual machines on Linux

BlackBasta, an alleged subdivision of the ransomware group Conti, just began supporting the encryption of VMwares ESXi virtual machines VM installed on enterprise Linux servers. Because more and more organizations have begun using VMs for cost-effectiveness and easier management of devices, this...

Why you shouldn’t automate your VirusTotal uploads

It is important to realize that uploading certain files to VirusTotal may result in leaking confidential data, which could result in a breach of confidentiality, or worse. We have warned against uploading personal information, as does VirusTotal itself on their home page. But apparently some...

Denonia cryptominer is first malware to target AWS Lambda

Security researchers at Cado Security, a cybersecurity forensics company, recently discovered the first publicly-known malware targeting Lambda, the serverless computing platform of Amazon Web Services AWS. Though Lambda has been around for less than ten years, serverless technology is considered...

Valorant cheats on YouTube are actually information-stealing malware

Valorant, the popular free-to-play team based shooter, is attracting the attention of scammers. It’s reported that a malware distribution campaign is leveraging YouTube to push infection files. The campaign distributes a file known for password theft, and hunts for those passwords in browsers,...

North Korea’s Lazarus APT leverages Windows Update client, GitHub in latest campaign

This blog was authored by Ankur Saini and Hossein Jazi Lazarus Group is one of the most sophisticated North Korean APTs that has been active since 2009. The group is responsible for many high profile attacks in the past and has gained worldwide attention. The Malwarebytes Threat Intelligence team...

Warning issued over tampered QR codes

Avid readers of the Malwarebytes Labs blog will be well aware of QR code scams. Take, for example, that QR code scam in the Netherlands that victimized at least a dozen and definitely more car owners. It went like this: Someone approaches you and says they want to pay for their parking but cant...

Macs turn on apps signed by Symantec, treat them as malware

On August 23, following an update to Apples security systems on macOS, some Mac users began to see security alerts about some of their apps, claiming that they "will damage your computer," and offering users the option to "report malware to Apple." This has led to much confusion online, and to an...

Check your passwords! Synology NAS devices under attack from StealthWorker

Synology PSIRT Product Security Incident Response Team has put out a warning that it has recently seen and received reports about an increase in brute-force attacks against Synology devices. PSIRT suspects the botnet commonly known as StealthWorker is responsible for this increase in activity...

Windows 10 to retire in four years (or 52 Patch Tuesdays, in sysadmin years)

Microsoft will terminate support for Windows 10 Home and Pro on 14 October 2025, a decade after the original Windows 10 was brought to market. Although some may claim that a Microsoft document has been "quietly edited" over the weekend to reflect this "sudden change", this reveal isnt new. In fac...

Insider threats: If it can happen to the FBI, it can happen to you

If you’re worried about the risk of insider threats, you’re not alone. It can affect anyone, even the FBI. A federal grand jury has just charged a former intelligence analyst with stealing confidential files from 2004 to 2017. That’s an incredible 13 years of “What are you doing with that pile of...

iPhone calendar spam attacks on the rise

Recently, we have seen an increasing number of reports from iPhone users about their calendars filling up with junk events. These events are most often either pornographic in nature, or claim that the device has been infected or hacked, and in all cases they contain malicious links. This phenomen...

CodeCov supply-chain compromise likened to SolarWinds attack

CodeCov, a company that creates software auditing tools for developers, was recently breached the company says it was breached on April 1, and reported it on the April 15. According to investigators, this incident, in turn, gave attackers access to an unknown number of CodeCov’s clients networks...

Deepfakes were going to change everything. And then they didn’t

For much of 2020, the most visible conversation about the US election and tech was related to deepfakes images or videos where the subject is replaced by another likeness. They could “destroy democracy” generally, and influence the US election in ways we couldn’t possibly imagine. People talked...

How to enable Facebook’s hardware key authentication for iOS and Android

Since 2017 desktop users have had the opportunity to use physical security keys to log in to their Facebook accounts. Now iOS and Android users have the same option too. Physical security keys are a more secure option for two-factor authentication 2FA than SMS which is vulnerable to SIM swap...

How NOT to fail at PDF redaction

The heated spat between Europe and AstraZeneca over a contract has segued into an unexpected blunder that left many of us chuckling and surprised at the same time. Perhaps even feeling a bit awkward. Recently, the European Commission published a PDF version of the contract it had with AstraZeneca...

Browser sync—what are the risks of turning it on?

Modern browsers include synchronization features like Google Chromes Sync so that all your browsers, on all your devices, share the same tabs, passwords, plugins, and other features. While this is certainly convenient, particularly when youre migrating to a new device, synchronizing browsers also...

VPN usage is increasing, says December 2020 survey

I won’t reveal my mom’s exact age, but she’s in her late 60s. Other than her phone, my mom doesn’t own or use a computer—but she knows what Zoom is. Not since “Kleenex” has a brand become so pervasive that people use the brand name as a generic term for the product. For my mom, any kind of video...

Emotet returns just in time for Christmas

Emotet is a threat we have been tracking very closely throughout the year thanks to its large email distribution campaigns. Once again, and for about two months, the botnet stopped its malspam activity only to return days before Christmas. In typical Emotet fashion, the threat actors continue to...

A week in security (December 7 – December 13)

Last week on Malwarebytes podcast we talked to Doug Levin, founder of the K12 cybersecurity resource center and advisor to the K12 Security Information Exchange, about how schools can plan for a cybersecure 2021. We also released a Malwarebytes Labs report revealing that 50 percent of schools did...

Malwarebytes detects leaked tools from FireEye breach

Hello folks! If you have not heard yet, the security firm FireEye has had a breach of many red team assessment tools used for identification of vulnerabilities to help protect customers. While it is not known exactly who was behind this attack, a big concern is the sharing and use of these stolen...

XSS to TSS: tech support scam campaign abuses cross-site scripting vulnerability

Tech support browser lockers continue to be one of the most common web threats. Not only are they a problem for end users who might end up on the phone with scammers defrauding them of hundreds of dollars, theyve also caused quite the headache for browser vendors to fix. Browser lockers are only...

Sodinokibi drops greatest hits collection, and crime is the secret ingredient

When a group of celebrities ask to speak with their lawyer, they usually don’t have to call in a bunch of other people to go speak with their lawyer. However, in this case it may well be a thing a little down the line. A huge array of musicians including Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Run...

RevenueWire to pay $6.7 million to settle FTC charges

What can you do as a scammer when no legitimate payment provider wants to process your payments anymore? Or, what if you are growing sick and tired of these same payment providers reimbursing disgruntled customers who claim that your products didn't fix computers, like—you know—you said they woul...

Cloud data protection: how to secure what you store in the cloud

The cloud has become the standard for data storage. Just a few years ago, individuals and businesses pondered whether or not they should move to the cloud. This is now a question of the past. Today, the question isn't whether to adopt cloud storage but rather how. Despite its rapid pace of...

Lock and Code S1Ep4: coronavirus and responding to computer viruses with Akshay Bhargava

This week on Lock and Code, we discuss the top security headlines generated right here on Labs and around the Internet. In addition, we talk to Akshay Bhargava, Chief Product Officer of Malwarebytes, about the similarities between coronavirus and computer viruses. We discuss computer virus...

A week in security (February 17 – 23)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs, we highlighted the benefits and concerns of identity-as-a-service IDaaS, an identity management scheme deployed from the cloud; reported on scammers and squatters taking advantage of Rudy Giuliani’s Twitter typos; and gave a high-level overview of RobbinHood, the...

Mac threat detections on the rise in 2019

Conventional wisdom has been that, although not invulnerable to cyberthreats as some old Apple ads would have you believe, Macs are afflicted with considerably fewer infections than Windows PCs. However, when reviewing our 2019 Mac detection telemetry, we noticed a startling upward trend. Indeed,...

How to protect yourself from doxing

“Abandon hope all ye who enter.” This ominous inscription affixed atop the gates to Hell in Dante’s Divine Comedy applies peculiarly well to describe the state of the Internet today. It’s hard to draw a parallel to the utility that the Internet has offered to modern civilization—perhaps no other...

Europol: Ransomware remains top threat in IOCTA report

The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation, or Europol, just released its annual Internet Organized Crime Threat Assessment IOCTA report for the year. And we weren’t surprised to find that ransomware, despite its palpable decline in volume these past few months—a trend we’ve also...

A week in security (October 7 – 13)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs, we peered into the possible future of cybersecurity insurance, described the process for securing today’s managed service provider, and provided an in-depth explainer on the business espionage tactic known as “war shipping.” Further, in considering the intersection...

Capital One breach exposes over 100 million credit card applications

Just as we were wrapping up the aftermath of the Equifax breach—how was that already two years ago?—we are confronted with yet another breach of about the same order of magnitude. Capital One was affected by a data breach in March. The hacker gained access to information related to credit card...

No summer break for Magecart as web skimming intensifies

This summer, you are more likely to find the cybercriminal groups Magecart client-side rather than poolside. Web skimming, which consists of stealing payment information directly from within the browser, is one of today's top web threats. Magecart, the group behind many of these attacks, gained...

Mozilla urges Apple to make privacy a team sport

We often say cybersecurity is a team sport, but, pending a public advocacy campaign from one major tech developer to another, the same might be true for online privacy. Mozilla is currently getting people around the world to lend their voices toward Apple, asking that the company place some extra...

Bad romance: catphishing explained

You've heard or read about some variant of this story before: Girl meets Boy on a dating website. Girl falls in love. Boy claims he does, too. Girl is excited to meet Boy soon. But at the last minute, Girl finds out that Boy 1 had an accident and broke a hip; 2 has a very sick relative he needs t...

Phony WhatsApp used Unicode to slip under Google’s radar

After a troubling week for Google not so long ago, the company is under the spotlight once more for missing another app that, after further investigations by several members of Reddit, was found laden with adware. This app, which was called "Update WhatsApp Messenger," used the logo and developer...

A week in security (April 27 – May 3)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: 3 easy-to-miss cybersecurity risks for small businesses Actively exploited cPanel bug exposes millions of websites to takeover More PayPal emails hijacked to deliver tech support scams Hackers stole hundreds of thousands of Roblox accounts: Here’s what to do...

A week in security (April 8 – April 14)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: How to change your Social Security Number Apple warns people of mercenary attacks via threat notification system How to check if your data was exposed in the AT&T breach Microsoft’s April 2024 Patch Tuesday includes two actively exploited zero-day vulnerabilities H...

[updated] Apex Legends Global Series plagued by hackers

The North American finals of online shooter game Apex Legends has been postponed after games were disrupted by hacking incidents. Apex Legends, published by EA, is currently in an important stage of its Global Series, the regional finals mode. This is a big deal for the top players since there is...

Warning from LastPass as fake app found on Apple App Store

Password Manager LastPass has warned about a fraudulent app called “LassPass Password Manager” which it found on the Apple App Store. The app closely mimics the branding and appearance of LastPass, right down to the interface. So, even if the name was a “happy accident” it seems clear that this w...

Update Chrome now! Emergency update patches zero-day

Google has released an emergency security update for Chrome that brings the browsers Stable channel to version 120.0.6099.129 for Mac, Linux and to 120.0.6099.129/130 for Windows. This update includes one security fix for a vulnerability that was subject to an existing exploit. The easiest way to...

Meet the entirely legal, iPhone-crashing device, the Flipper Zero: Lock and Code S04E25

This week on the Lock and Code podcast… It talks, it squawks, it even blocks! The stocking-stuffer on every hobby hacker’s wish list this year is the Flipper Zero. “Talk” across low-frequency radio to surreptitiously change TV channels, emulate garage door openers, or even pop open your friend’s...

Steer clear of cryptocurrency recovery phrase scams

The dangers of cryptocurrency phishing are back in the news, after tech investor Mark Cuban was reported to have lost around $870k via a phishing link. Cuban lost a combination of coin types as asset movement flagged up after months of inactivity from his wallet. Cuban discovered some of the...

A firsthand perspective on the recent LinkedIn account takeover campaign

Not long ago I wrote about a recent campaign to hold LinkedIn users' accounts to ransom. Shortly after I published the article, a co-worker, Pearce, reached out to me told me he'd been a target of the campaign. His story begins with an SMS text from LinkedIn telling him to reset his password. He...

81% concerned about ChatGPT security and safety risks, Malwarebytes survey shows

Seven months after ChatGPT burst into our lives, it seems the lustre of the chatbot-that's-going-to-change-everything is starting to fade. A new survey by Malwarebytes exposes deep reservations about ChatGPT, with optimism in startlingly short supply. Of the respondents familiar with ChatGPT: 81%...

CISA updates ransomware guidance

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA has updated its StopRansomware guide to account for the fact that ransomware actors have accelerated their tactics and techniques since the original guide was released in September of 2020. The StopRansomware guide is set up as a one-stop...

How the cops buy a "God view" of your location data, with Bennett Cyphers: Lock and Code S04E09

The list of people and organizations that are hungry for your location data--collected so routinely and packaged so conveniently that it can easily reveal where you live, where you work, where you shop, pray, eat, and relax--includes many of the usual suspects. Advertisers, obviously, want to sen...